


Among nature

by UndeadFae



Category: Inazuma Eleven
Genre: D&D AU, Fantasy AU, First Meetings, Implied Relationships, M/M, Minor Injuries, Minor Violence, Not Beta Read, Travel, strongly implied
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:34:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25780675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UndeadFae/pseuds/UndeadFae
Summary: It all started when he found that cat napping in his bag without a care in the world. Then, he found out that he didn't mind the cat, even when it turned out to be something else entirely, not exactly the friendly animal he had expected. Turns out, what came after that meeting was more than what he could've ever asked for.
Relationships: Genda Koujirou/Sakuma Jirou
Comments: 4
Kudos: 9





	Among nature

**Author's Note:**

> I FINALLY FINISHED IT  
> I've had this in mind for such a LONG time, I'm a sucker for all sort of fantasy and I've wanted to do something like this for a while already. This AU is going to be slightly more grounded in traditional fantasy (mainly taking classes and such from D&D), with the right tweakings where it needs them. I am SO excited to write more of this please enjoy all these words. If there is a mistake somewhere please let me know, it's really late and I'm tired but I just really wanted to post now.

Sakuma was used to being alone. He didn’t really care, having already gotten used to it a long time ago, even when sometimes it felt a bit too lonely. He was fine.

It was in the middle of one of his journeys across the woods that it happened. He had left his bag for a moment by his camp to go gather some wood and maybe more food, too distracted with his task to realize he had a visitor. When he opened his bag to look for something, he froze at the sight. There was a cat that he most definitely did not own inside, curled up and peacefully sleeping like nothing was wrong.

He blinked, staring for a while, not really sure about what to do. Eventually, he decided to just carefully move the cat aside, just enough to grab whatever he needed without bothering it and go on with his day. The cat didn’t wake up, just getting even more comfortable inside his bag. Sakuma didn’t do anything else, just letting the cat rest. It was just one more thing to add to the list of weirdness ever since he stepped into those woods. At least he had finally managed to shake off the sensation of being watched, at least for a while.

Right as he was done cooking his food, Sakuma heard a distinct meowing coming from his bag. The cat had finally woken up, stretching and yawning before finally stepping out of the bag, casually trotting closer to him before brushing itself against his leg.

“Hey there, buddy. You’re finally awake.” The cat stared up at him. “… You hungry? I don’t have much, but…” Picking one of the fishes still cooking over the fire, Sakuma pulled it off the stick, laying it on the ground in front of the cat. It didn’t hesitate to tear into it, eager to eat every scrap of meat it could find on the bones. Sakuma had to wonder if it had gone for too long without food. It did look like a stay… Shaking his head and pushing those thoughts aside, Sakuma reached for his own food and began to eat.

Once everything had been taken care of and it was already late at night, Sakuma yawned, stretching a bit before getting comfortable on the ground to go to sleep. The cat looked around, before move to lay at his side, snuggling closer to him in his sleep. Sakuma didn’t push it away.

“Night to you too…”

* * *

To his surprise, when Sakuma woke up the next day, the cat was still there, still comfortably snuggled against him and refusing to move. Yawning and trying to stretch a bit, he gently scratched the cat’s ears, smiling a bit as it purred.

“You hungry? I’ll go get something in a bit…”

Sakuma soon was up and ready, going to look for more food for his breakfast before moving on. He didn’t plan on getting fish for breakfast, but in the middle of his scavenging he decided to stop for a moment and fish anyways, at least to have something for what apparently had become his feline companion.

When he came back, the cat was still there, happily sitting next to his bag as it waited. Now that there was light, Sakuma could take a better look at it, taking in its shiny orange fur and blue eyes. It was a pretty cat, almost too well taken care of to be a stray. How did it end up in the forest like that…?

“Here, I brought you some fish. Hope you don’t mind it like this…” It certainly didn’t seem to mind the raw fish, happily digging in. Well, that was a relief.

Once he was done and had everything packed, Sakuma turned to look at the cat. He had to keep moving, but…

Kneeling in front of the cat and gently petting its head, Sakuma watched it with a small smile.

“… I guess I can’t ask you to come with me, can I?” The cat just stared at him. Sakuma sighed. “Why am I trying to talk to a cat…” Standing up, Sakuma picked his bag and slung it over his shoulder. “Well… I have to go.”

Turning around, Sakuma started walking towards the woods. He had only taken a few steps before he felt the weight tugging on his bag. Blinking, he looked down, only to find the cat trying to sneak into his bag again.

“… You… you want to come?” Hesitantly, he opened the bag, almost expecting to be wrong. The cat didn’t hesitate to slip inside, getting comfortable in the bag. “Alright, then.” If it wanted to come, he wasn’t about to stop it. “Maybe we’ll find you a name, what do you think?” The cat blinked, then curled up to take a nap. Well, maybe he’d think about that later.

* * *

Turns out, travelling with a cat actually was better than alone. Even when it refused every name he tried to give it. They were working on it- or so he liked to think. Waking up with the cat curled up close to him was also nicer than he thought it would be. It just was nice to have some company after so long.

After a few days with the cat, Sakuma realized something- either he knew less about cats than he expected, or the cat was not exactly normal.

It took him a while to notice that the cat came and went as it pleased. Maybe it was normal for cats, but something still felt… off. Like there was something he still didn’t know. Like there was more to it than just a cat wandering.

“So, where do you go all day?” He gently scratched the cat’s ears as it ate. “… I don’t even know why I’m trying to talk to you. I’m really starting to lose it, aren’t I?”

The cat just stared at him. Sakuma sighed, settling for petting it again.

* * *

As he had already learned to expect, things would go downhill very soon.

He was crossing some woods during his travel, ignoring the ushered warnings of people never returning in favor of a comfortable shortcut. He could feel the cat tense up in his bag, but a quick scratch behind the ears was enough to put the little thing at ease once again.

He should’ve probably listened to those warnings. And to the cat too.

Sakuma was surrounded, three thieves having him cornered with no way of escaping- not without losing a limb, for sure. He wasn’t going down without a fight.

Even when outnumbered, he just closed his bag a bit tighter, ignoring the distressed meowing as he prepared his daggers. The fight was intense, blows coming from every side, Sakuma barely managing to hold his own and keeping the little animal safe. He refused to give up so easily- and if he went down, he’d take them all to hell with him, one way or another.

He was fierce and ruthless, pushing back every attack he managed to catch, ignoring scrapes, cuts and pain in favor of fighting back like a cornered animal, even getting them more than once, blood spilling on the grass and on his blades.

Then, he was knocked to the ground, the contents of his bag spilling open and the cat with them.

In his daze, he barely heard the mocking voices around him. When he tried to push himself up, a foot on his back pushing him down once again. Through a blurry sight, he could see a hand reaching for the cat, roughly grabbing it by the scruff of its neck and lifting it. They were laughing at something, the words lost to him, but he didn’t need to hear it, didn’t want to. The cat hissed, scratching and biting as soon as it was out of the bag, trying to fight for his sake even after they so easily picked it up to stop its fit. As valiant of an effort as it was, Sakuma couldn’t allow it to go on, couldn’t risk his small friend getting hurt because of him.

Without a care for the consequences, Sakuma reached for a dagger, ready to keep fighting, even when all it did was get him hit in the process.

“Don’t touch-!” Someone struck him on the back of the head, just trying to keep him under control.

He hit the ground hard, black spots blurring his sight. When he tried to get up, he heard the deep growl, followed by screams he couldn’t quite make out. As the sounds turned muffled and distant around him, he only caught a flash of grey fur and blood before everything faded into darkness.

* * *

When he woke up, Sakuma hissed in pain, a hand clutching his head as he curled on his side. He almost went back to sleep when the memories came back to him, hurrying to sit up and flinching at the sudden pain trying to split his skull in half.

“Careful.”

His eyes flew open at the stranger voice, immediately turn to look at whoever was with him, a hand already searching for his weapon.

He wasn’t sure what he expected, but it certainly wasn’t the scruffy guy crouched next to him, mere inches away and half his face hidden by a thick wolf pelt. Yelping, Sakuma tried to back away, nearly falling over in his rush. Suddenly, he was aware of the spear in his hands.

“W-who the fuck are you-” as much as he wanted to fight, his head was killing him. Then, the stranger pushed a bowl in his hands. Sakuma stared at it for a moment, before pushing it away and glaring, headache be damned. He had more important things to do- “Wait- where’s the cat-? What did you do?!” As much as he looked around, the cat was nowhere to be seen, something cold twisting in his stomach. Whatever happened to it, it had to be this strange guy’s fault, right?

“It’s ok-”

“Like hell it is- where is the cat?!”

The stranger hesitated, before sighing and taking a few steps back. Before Sakuma could demand an explanation once again, it happened. There was no longer a stranger in front of him, just the blue eyed cat he had befriended long ago. He could only stare in disbelief, eyes wide and half wondering if he was still asleep or if his head injury was worse than he expected.

Then, it clicked.

“You… is that magic…?” Hesitantly, he crawled a bit closer, reaching out to pet the cat’s head before stopping himself. As soon as he did, the cat gently bumped his hand, letting him run his fingers through the soft fur.

A few moments later, the cat shifted back into the stranger, staring at him, concern shining in his blue eyes.

“Yes. Druid magic.”

“I… I see…” It… certainly wasn’t what he expected. He had too many questions, but couldn’t bring himself to ask any just yet, laying back down with a groan. “… Can we talk about this later? My head is killing me…” To Sakuma's relief, he quickly nodded.

“Alright. Sleep, I’ll keep watch.”

With that reassurance, Sakuma allowed himself to drift back to sleep.

* * *

When he woke up, Sakuma half expected everything to have been nothing more than a wild dream, ready to find the weird cat curled up right next to his face as it snuggled up to him.

As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw a now familiar face mere inches away.

… Not like he expected that, anyways. He yelped and tried to back off, only succeeding in making his own headache far worse than it already was, groaning as he curled up on himself and held his head in his hands. Suddenly, his water flask was pushed in his hands, filled with fresh water.

“Thanks…” He gladly accepted the flask, downing at least half of it before putting it down with a relieved sigh. Then, he turned to take a good look at… whoever this was. Not like there was much to see with the wolf pelt hiding most of his face, his deep blue eyes barely peeking from under it. “So… who are you?”

“Koujirou.”

“Is that all? I mean- don’t you have a last name?” Koujirou quickly shook his head, seemingly unbothered by this. “Alright… but why did you stay with me?” It would’ve been one thing if he was just a cat, but…

Koujirou just sort of shrugged.

“I felt like it.” It almost sounded like there was more to it rather than a decision on a whim, but for now Sakuma would let it slide. He did save his life, after all. “Can I… can I stay with you?”

“You… really want to stay with me?” He nodded. “Like… completely sure?” Another nod. “Really?”

“Yes, I want to stay.” Koujirou was frowning now, looking like he hardly could hold back a groan. Alright, then he was really serious about this.

“Oh… alright, I guess- n-not like I’m against it or anything! I just wanted to make sure, that’s all-” well, that was one awkward way to start things off. Not like Koujirou seemed to mind much, just turning to look at the campfire and- oh, Sakuma hadn’t noticed that before. He blamed his headache for that.

“Are you hungry?” Sakuma nodded. Then, Koujirou handed him a stick with a few pieces of meat stabbed into it. Sakuma accepted it with a muttered thanks. Then, he looked at it more carefully.

“What is this?”

“Boar. I went hunting while you were sleeping.” He smiled as he explained, getting comfortable on the floor as he got to eat his own meat. “You took care of me, so I wanted to return the favor.”

“… Thank you.” He wasn’t really used to having someone around, much less someone caring enough to help… but Sakuma appreciated it. It was a very welcome change.

They ate in silence, Sakuma taking his time with his meat while Koujirou pretty much tore into it. It wasn’t seasoned and it was cooked just enough to be edible, clearly meant more for survival than enjoyment, but well, food was food. Sakuma wasn’t about to complain about free food, no matter the taste.

“So…” That already got Koujirou's attention, silently looking up at him. “Where were you living before meeting me?” He tried to make it sound like a casual question, not wanting to admit that the more he thought about it, the more he realized that someone with a nice and stable life wouldn’t just drop everything to go with some stranger travelling around that they didn’t even know.

Something was up, he didn’t even need to see how Koujirou suddenly tensed up to know that.

“I… I lived in the forest. Where you first found me.” There was a hint of bitterness lacing his voice, Sakuma could hear it.

“I see…” There were more questions he wanted to ask, more he wanted to know, but now it wasn’t the right time. He didn’t want to intrude in his life just like that.

With the food gone, Sakuma tossed the stick aside to go put out the fire, to then pack his bag and make sure he wasn’t leaving anything behind.

“Don’t you need to rest a bit more? You were hurt badly…”

“It’s alright- it’s not that bad.” A bit of a lie, but as long as his head wasn’t throbbing anymore and he wasn’t bleeding, it would be alright. He would’ve rather keep moving than deal with that, anyways. Koujirou pouted, clearly not convinced, just sighing as he got up himself.

“Fine…”

And with that, Sakuma was ready to move on, just relieved knowing he really wasn’t on his own now. It would make for an interesting journey now, for sure.

Then, he stopped under Koujirou's confused stare.

“Wait- if you hunted down a whole boar, where’s the rest?”

“Oh- I ate it. Did you want it?”

“… No, it’s fine.”

Next time, he’d have to teach him that they could just preserve the meat. Sakuma decided not to focus on how he just casually ate a boar like that.

* * *

The more they travelled together, the more Sakuma found out about the mystery that was Koujirou.

At first, he thought Koujirou just didn’t like stuff such as spices and other commodities so much, but he was quickly proven wrong, all it took was offering him a bowl of stew properly seasoned- despite his initial skepticism, there were quite literally stars in his eyes as he quickly devoured the whole dish and then asked for seconds. That day, Sakuma realized two things: one, Koujirou wasn’t used to things that were common place in society, like he had never been around them enough to get used to them or even seen them before, and two, he needed to cook bigger portions now. He didn’t expect Koujirou to eat _that_ much, really.

The more he looked at him, the more he felt that something wasn’t quite right- and it wasn’t just his clear excuses and lies. It bothered Sakuma more than he wanted to admit- Koujirou was just like any other human, odd upbringing aside, so what was wrong? What was he missing?

As much as he wanted to, he didn’t ask right away- it didn’t feel right. Koujirou still deserved to keep his privacy. They only had known each other for a little while, after all.

Koujirou was still leaving for long periods of time, albeit less often than back when he was just a cat. Sakuma wasn’t sure what to make of that, trying to attribute it to the guy’s innate ability for hunting- supported by how often he came back with this or that prey, sometimes with a few fishes for variety, picking some fruits and plants along the way back. Maybe that wasn’t what he really should be worrying about.

Despite all those little details that worried him, Sakuma couldn’t deny that he was really enjoying Koujirou's presence. He didn’t realize how long he had been alone and how much he actually hated it until Koujirou intruded into his life.

It was nice, having someone to talk to, share meals with, even get out of trouble together with, knowing he wasn’t alone anymore. Waking up to the bundle of fur and sheets laying next to him shouldn’t have made him as happy as it did. It wasn’t fair, really.

* * *

When he woke up, the first thing Sakuma realized was that he was warm. Warmer than when he had gone to sleep for the night, light rain still falling outside of the cave they had turned into a shelter for the night, a far cry from the storm from the day before. Well, as long as he was warm and comfortable, it didn’t matter much, right?

Then, when he groggily pushed himself to sit up, an unfamiliar blanket slid off him and onto his lap. Then, he felt the thick fur and something that felt like an ear.

That was a pelt.

Completely lost and confused, Sakuma rubbed his good eye, trying to wake up and have a functioning brain long enough to figure out just what had happened overnight. Then, his eye landed on the figure curled up on himself a few feet away. Koujirou was curled on himself as much as possible, the heavy pelt that was usually resting on his shoulders now gone. It took Sakuma a moment to put two and two together.

It was the first time Sakuma saw him without the pelt. His hair was long, reaching just past his shoulders, messy like a bird’s nest. It was a disaster that might not have seen a brush in a long time. Between the mess of hair that looked more like fur, Sakuma blinked as he spotted his ears. They were usually covered by the pelt, but now… now they were peeking through all the hair. Pointed ears, too small to be an elf’s ears. Coupled with Koujirou's distinctly human-like appearance, Sakuma didn’t take much longer to connect the dots.

While he didn’t really expect his new friend to be a half elf… it didn’t bother him in the slightest, really. Even when he knew of how humans and elves alike could treat them at times. He couldn’t really blame Koujirou for keeping it a secret- and he would keep it as well. He wasn’t going to rat him out to whoever would listen and betray the trust they were building just like that.

Regardless, it didn’t matter- they were still friends, no matter what Koujirou really was.

Careful of not waking him up, Sakuma stood up and stepped closer to him, pelt in hand to cover him with it. His skin felt much colder than usual to the touch, his body shivering ever so slightly. He must’ve taken off the pelt way too early into the night… just to give it to him. To keep him warm and comfortable. As happy as Sakuma was knowing how much Koujirou cared, he couldn’t help but feel somewhat exasperated, just fixing the pelt to cover him as much as possible and hope that he wouldn’t get sick for being an idiot. As soon as the pelt was back in place and Koujirou was tightly wrapped in it, he clung to it in his sleep, nuzzling a bit more into the fur as he slowly stopped shivering. Sakuma couldn’t help but think of how cute he looked as he slept, relaxed like he never was while awake, his messy hair perfectly framing his face. Then, he realized what he was thinking and could quickly feel his face on fire.

He tried very hard to tell himself that he had no idea where those kind of thoughts were coming from.

* * *

Something wasn’t quite right with Koujirou that day. He kept glancing around, sometimes stopping to catch some scent in the air Sakuma wasn’t aware of- it was as if he was expecting something to happen, yet kept dismissing any questions like nothing was really wrong and like he didn’t seem to be expecting an attempt at murdering him. Needless to say, the poor excuses, lies and question dodging didn’t really convince Sakuma- far from it. The more it went on, the more concerned he grew. He couldn’t really deny that the odd behavior was starting to freak him out.

“Seriously- is something wrong? I’m here if you need anything, just-”

“It’s fine, really.” It wasn’t. Sakuma wasn’t sure how he managed to hold his tongue- maybe it was just how out of nowhere this behavior was, taking him completely by surprise. It didn’t matter anyways, before he could reply Koujirou was already shifting, the big wolf running into the woods without so much as a goodbye or ‘see you later’.

As worried as he was, Sakuma had no choice but to let it go for now, making a note of asking once Koujirou was calmer and more at ease over the night. Figuring that he’d just come back in a few moments like nothing was wrong, Sakuma just kept walking through the forest, looking around for fruits and berries. He was starting to run out, might as well stock up on a few things before stepping into the next town.

Right as he was in the middle of picking some fresh berries, Sakuma stopped. It was subtle and barely noticeable… but it was most definitely there. Rustling from nearby bushes.

It couldn’t be Koujirou, he was much quieter than that, especially in animal form- and he wouldn’t try to keep quiet around Sakuma.

Slowly and carefully, Sakuma's hand reached for one of his daggers, resting on it and ready to draw it at the slightest sign of immediate danger. Then, Sakuma spotted two figures among the foliage. He froze when he recognized their robes and weapons.

Despite all the similarities, Sakuma knew exactly who these guys were, just how different they truly were from Koujirou. He could recognize an elf anywhere after spending so much time with a half elf. And he wasn’t sure of how much he appreciated being in presence of two of them, knowing just how much some of them could despise half elves. He just silently hoped that Koujirou was still alright and not in trouble, that he hadn’t ran into any of them before he could find him- not all elves would hate half elves with no good reason, sure, but it was still better to be safe rather than sorry, especially not knowing who they were or what their intentions were.

When they spotted him and called for his attention, Sakuma wasn’t sure whether he was grateful that Koujirou wasn’t there to get in trouble or scared over what might happen to him now. Regardless, he was ready to fight- if he was going down, he would do it kicking, biting and screaming, like hell he would just give up.

Keeping up the clueless human act in hopes of annoying them enough to make them leave was much harder when they started questioning him about a half elf that should live nearby, the description eerily similar to Koujirou's.

“I… I haven’t seen anyone like that around here.” The lie slipped from his lips far too quickly, one of the elves narrowing his eyes at him.

“Are you sure about that?”

He didn’t hesitate to nod, even with how forced it was looking.

“I’ve been on my own all this time- I’m pretty sure I would notice someone else in here, alright?” He huffed, just trying to sell the act of an annoyed traveler in a rush. The elves were definitely not believing a single word coming out of his mouth, but he refused to falter in front of them, not when Koujirou's safety was depending entirely on his lies. “Listen- I don’t know why you’re looking for… whoever that is- but I have to get to the city quickly and I’m already wasting enough time. Shouldn’t you keep looking instead of interrogating me?” He almost snarled at them, wanting nothing more than to be left alone and get away. Eventually, they exchanged a glance, reluctantly nodding to each other. They must’ve realized how stupid it was to waste their time like that with someone like him, if the angry glares thrown his way as they backed off and started walking away were anything to go by.

Sakuma only allowed himself to breathe in relief when they were finally out of sight. That was one less problem to worry about, at least for now.

… The only problem now was to find Koujirou in that big forest. Not even knowing which form he had assumed… or if there was someone else with those two elves. Great- just great. Why could things never be easy for him, really?

Resigning himself to a long and tiring search, Sakuma just started walking through the woods, not even sure of how he was supposed to find Koujirou- it’s not like he could just get to screaming his name until he came back, not unless he wanted one of those elves to put an arrow right through his remaining eye.

And so he steeled himself, starting to walk around, keeping his eye out for any sign of something unusual. Or danger. He silently cursed when he found another elf, barely managing to hide behind a tree in time. Of course there had to be more- just what the hell was going on? Why were they all so interested in Koujirou? The questions just kept piling up- and so did the number of elves. He should’ve noticed them sooner, really, there were far too many of them crawling all over the forest like it belonged to them. It might’ve actually been theirs, but he honestly didn’t care enough to find out. All he cared about was finding Koujirou before they did, keeping to the shadows and thicker vegetation, staying low as he moved.

Suddenly, Sakuma felt a tug on his pants.

Looking down, he found a mouse clinging to the fabric with its tiny claws, almost desperate to climb up. He already knew that it wasn't just any mouse, even when this wasn't a form Koujirou would've preferred. He also knew that it was far easier to go unnoticed this way than as a cat or a bird.

Carefully, he picked up the shivering little thing, gently petting his head with a finger. It wasn't doing much to calm him down, but it at least helped him realize that who had picked him up wasn't a threat.

"Hey... it's alright. I'm here. Don't worry, okay? I'll get you out of here." There was a squeak that he hoped was a good sign. Then, Sakuma opened his bag, allowing Koujirou to hide inside.

With Koujirou hidden in his bag, Sakuma looked around, making sure that no one was watching before silently running away, using the bushes and trees to stay in the shadows and away from sight. The elves were everywhere in the forest, bows and arrows drawn and ready to hit. If they were noticed… Sakuma wasn’t really sure they would be able to get out of there alive.

It was a slow and nerve-wrecking process, Sakuma having to glance around and bid his time before moving, trying to stay as hidden as possible, heart in his throat as he kept hoping that no one would spot them, that they would get out of that forest. He didn’t even want to think of what might happen if they didn’t manage that.

He wasn’t sure of how long it had taken or how far they had gotten- he wasn’t even sure if they were on the right path anymore, only caring about their safety. Koujirou's above all else. When he was finally far away enough that he felt it was safe to stop, Sakuma sighed, resting his back against the closest tree and allowing himself to slide down and sit for a while, just busy catching his breath.

His bag rustled a bit, the little mouse’s head poking out of it to take a good look around, still not quite comfortable stepping out.

“It’s alright… you can come out now- it’s safe.”

The mouse looked at him for a moment, as if needing a moment to truly believe him. When nothing else happened, he finally left the safety of the bag, still a bit hesitant as he took a few steps, finally allowing himself to shift back to his normal form.

For a moment, the two of them sat there in an uncomfortable silence.

Koujirou sighed as he rested his back against the tree, glancing away with a frown. Sakuma didn’t pressure him into talking, knowing already that whatever it was, it must be hard enough for him as it is.

“… I’m sorry.”

Sakuma blinked, now staring at him.

“Why are you apologizing?”

“You could’ve been hurt because of me. And I didn’t even tell you any of this…”

For a moment, Sakuma didn’t say anything. Then, he rested a hand on his shoulder, an awkward attempt at reassurance.

“It’s… it’s alright. I’m fine, see? Besides- I’m not going to leave you alone now.”

Koujirou didn’t really look convinced, tugging on his pelt to hide his face a bit more.

“… I’m a half-elf. They don’t… really like me.” That was an understatement. Sakuma wisely decided to keep quiet on the fact that he already knew. “I… I don’t really know why they’re so determined on hunting me down, but I guess that’s why. I was running away when I first met you, so I just… decided to hide in your bag. It worked so far, so…” He couldn’t really look at Sakuma in the eye anymore, shame creeping in his voice.

“… Koujirou… we’re friends, right?” He didn’t want to admit that he was almost too afraid to ask. Koujirou immediately turned to look at him, eyes wide in panic.

“Y-yes-! I- I do like being here with you-”

That was enough for him. Koujirou's panic and fear quickly turned into confusion when Sakuma just hugged him, awkwardly standing there as he expected the worst.

“Then it’s alright. We’re still friends.”

Koujirou just blinked, not returning the hug just yet, unsure of how to react.

“… Are you really fine with this? Even though…”

Sakuma didn’t hesitate to nod, just holding him closer in answer. When he pulled back just enough to look at him, there wasn’t a hint of anger or disappointment as much as Koujirou looked for it, just Sakuma offering him one of the warmest smiles he has ever seen.

“I don’t care about what they think of you or what danger you might think you’ll put me in. I just care about you.” And he meant all of it. He didn’t like how surprised Koujirou was by those words alone. Like he had never seen anyone offer him some kindness.

Before he could even say anything else, Koujirou had nearly thrown himself at him, hugging him so tightly it almost hurt to breathe. Sakuma quickly found out that he didn’t mind, soreness aside.

“Thank you.” There was nothing but gratefulness in his voice, hiding a smile in the crook of his neck.

Sakuma couldn’t help his smile, not hesitating to return the hug- maybe not as tightly as Koujirou was holding him, but as tight as he could, for sure.

“You’re welcome.”

* * *

Sakuma sighed relieved as he finally dropped on the bed of his newly rented room. It was far from the nicer room, but for what he could afford, it was quite nice. A low whine came from his bag as it shook, Sakuma barely catching it in time before it could fall off the edge of the bed and to the floor. When he opened the bag, a fluffy head poked out, ears twitching as he jumped out and on the bed, making himself comfortable in it. Sakuma giggled, reaching out to gently scratch his ears until he shifted back to his normal form. He still wasn’t letting Sakuma pull his hand away, even when it almost got tangled into his messy hair.

“You sure you don’t want another bed? I could still go pay for a bigger room.”

“It’s fine… I like sharing the bed with you better anyways.” And he fully meant it- Sakuma didn’t know how aware he was of the implications, but it flustered him nonetheless, his face quickly turning red. Koujirou's grin was starting to make him believe that he knew damn well what he was doing.

While he was busy having his crisis Koujirou just sat up on the bed, now sitting closer to him and wrapping his arms around his neck- and Sakuma could swear he was purring, even while being a half elf. They had gotten so much closer ever since finding out about Koujirou's issues. Which also meant that Koujirou was much more comfortable being this close to him. Sakuma couldn’t really say that he minded, if he had to be honest.

“W-well- I’m glad?” When he finally pulled back, Koujirou took the occasion to stretch his arms and legs a bit, cramped after spending nearly all day hiding in that bag. Sakuma frowned a bit as he watched him. He knew Koujirou didn’t really like towns and other people, preferring to stay inside the bag and take a nap until they were in private. “Are you sure you’re alright, though?”

“I’m fine, don’t worry-” he did look pretty relieved when he stretched enough. “- I’ll just go for a run or something later, it’s alright.” Well, if he was so sure about it then no reason to doubt him, right?

“Alright, then…” he could always take the time to go buy some food and anything else they needed while Koujirou was away- he had a bad habit of trying to sneak into their purchases whatever food he felt like eating at the moment rather than considering all the road ahead of them, always saying that he could just go hunt, fish or scavenge as soon as they stepped into a forest again. Not like it made that big of a difference with how much he would eat, anyways. “Hey, when I go to the market do you-”

He couldn’t finish his sentence, Koujirou taking a moment to just hold him close… to then shamelessly kiss his cheek, a warm smile on his face.

Sakuma quickly shut down, face bright red as his brain pretty much stopped computing just about anything. And Koujirou didn’t look sorry in the least.

“I’ll be back in a few hours, then.” And before Sakuma could even manage to stutter out a word, Koujirou headed for the window, flashing him a mischievous grin before shifting, the bird flying out without looking back. Sakuma was left sitting there on the bed, stunned, cheeks tinted red as he stared at the window, hesitantly raising a hand to his cheek.

Well… that was… interesting? Sakuma wasn’t sure what to think- all he knew was that he didn’t really mind. Actually… it felt nice. He liked it.

When he finally collected himself, Sakuma stood up, bag over his shoulder as he prepared to go out and buy what they needed. He made a mental note of bringing back something special for Koujirou among all the supplies.

Even when he still wasn’t sure what their relationship had become… Sakuma didn’t mind any of it, couldn’t be any more grateful for having Koujirou in his life.

Whatever was expecting them in the future, they were in it together. Sakuma wouldn’t have it any other way.


End file.
